Politics of Indonesia

The politics of Indonesia take place in the framework of a presidentialrepresentative democraticrepublic whereby the President of Indonesia is both head of state and head of government and of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the bicameralPeople's Consultative Assembly. The judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature.

The 1945 constitution provided for a limited separation of executive, legislative and judicial power. The governmental system has been described as "presidential with parliamentary characteristics". Indonesia was democratic upon independence, but became authoritarian in 1957 under Sukarno. It remained authoritarian under his successor Suharto until the Indonesian riots of May 1998 and the resignation of President Suharto, which led to the restoration of democracy in Indonesia.